Folding go-cart.



PATENTED SEPT. 8, v Idea M. B. LLOYD. FOLDING GO-CART. APPLICATION FILEDJUNE 2a, 1907.

2 SHl'lBTS-SHEETl 1 f No. 898,235.

'PATENTBD SEPT. s, 1908. M. B. LLOYD. y FOLDING Go-GART. APPLICATIONFILED JUNE 28, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNiTED STATES NPATENT onmon.

MARSHALL B. LLOYD, OF MENOMINEE, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOIt TO LLOYDMANUFACTURING CO., OF MENOMINEE, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

FOLDING GO-CART.

Application filed. .Tune 28, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARSHALL B. LLOYD, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Menominee, Menominee county, Michigan, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Folding Go-Carts, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use thesame.

My invention relates to improvements in childrens vehicles and hasspecial references to go-carts of the classknown as folding orcollapsible go-carts.

The object of my invention is to provide a folding gocart which may beopened by setting it upon the ground and pressing downward on its handleand which may be closed by lifting the handle. In brief, my purpose isto provide a folding vehicle or go-cart which may be operated with onehand, as distinguished from those which require the use of both hands toeither fold or open them.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a folding go-cartthat shall be free from sliding parts or oints, in other words, onewhich shall be composed of members that are pivotally joined and adaptedto fold one u on the other. p

St' further objects of the invention are to simplify the constructionand reduce the cost of such vehicles, and to provide a go-cart whichshall be strong and durable and present a neat and attractiveappearance.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

My invention consists generally in a folding go-cart of the constructionand combination of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointedout in the claims.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying` drawings forming a part of this specification and in whichf Figure 1 is a perspective view of a folding go-cart embodying myinvention g and Fig. 2 is a side view thereof in partial foldedcondition.

The principal members of my novel go# cart, constructed in the preferredform shownv in the drawings, are; Erst, a main frame, having wheels atits lower end and a handle at its upper end; second, a complementaryframe portion or member, having wheels at Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Sept. 8, 1908.

Serial No. 381,233.

its lower end and at its upper end pivoted upon the main frame third, aseat, c, pivoted upon the main frame above andback of the juncture ofthe main and complementary frames, a, l), and pivotal means, d,connecting the seat, c, with the complementary frame, l), for liftingthe seat, c, when the complementary frame, l), is folded against themain frame, a. The only other parts of the vehicle are the arms, e,which are pivoted on the main frame, a, above the seat, c, and a footboard, f, which is held by parallel arm-supporting-links, g, which arepivoted to the ends of the arms, e, and to the end of the seat, c. Theseat when in its open or lowered position rests upon the upper end ofthe complementary frame and the opening movement of the complementaryframe is limited by that engagement coupled with the then bracing effectof the members, d. The pivotal points between the main and complementaryframes is at all times above and within the wheel base, hence when thegocart is in closed condition, as in Fig. 2 it may be readily opened bymerely pressing down upon the handle. Contrarywise, when thc go-art isin opened condition it may be closed by lifting on the handle. If thejoints be tween the parts are stiff, the person using the vehicle mayfind it necessary to place the foot on the rear axle, while drawing upon the handle, but otherwise is not required to touch the vehicle, aslight upward pull on the handle being sufficient to close the framestogether and thereby raise the seat and the arms against the backorupper part of the main frame. Further advantages attaching to thisconstruction reside in.its freedom from sliding joints; in its rigiditywhen in opened condition; in its strength when open; in its freedom fromlocking parts, which rerequire separate handling in the fact that theframes, when opened, co-act to form a rigid frame, that cannot collapsewhen weight is placed upon the seat. The vehicle possesses a stillfurther advantage over others in that the front wheels and the handleare upon the same rigid frame part, so

that the go-cart cannot be collapsed by.`

members so nearly approach vertical lines above their respective pivotsthat their weight is insufficient to spread the frames.

The details of construction are as follows: Flat bar steel is used inmaking all of the metal parts except the axles, cross rods, handlepieces and pivots.

T he main frame-T he principal members of the main frame are the shapedside bars, each comprising the upper back portion a', the intermediateforwardly bent portion, a2, and the lower front portion, a3, preferablyslightly inclined, with reference to the back portion, a. The axle, a4,is arranged in the lower ends of the side bars and carries the wheels,a5. The side bars are oined by brace rods, c and a7, having their endspivoted thereto. rThe handle pieces, as, preferably curved, as shown,may be integral extensions of the side bars, but l prefer to form themseparately and fasten them to the upper ends of said side bars by fixedand pivotal rivets, a, and ae. The upper ends of the handle pieces, a8,are joined by a wooden handle bar, d1?. a is a cross rod extendingbetween the handle pieces and between which and the bar, a7, l stretchthe fabrics, cw, forming the back of the seat. ln this connection theright is reserved to make the rod, au, detachable from the handle piecesby using suitable locking parts (not shown); whereby a reclining backmay be provided.

T he complementary frame-The principal members of the complementaryframe are the bars, li; the axle, b2, and the cross bar, b3. The lowerends, b4, of the bars, b1, are bent and perforated to receive the axle,for the double purpose of fastening the axle therein and off-setting therear wheels, b5, with respect to the front wheels, a5, so that thelatter may fold within or between the former. ab represent the pivotswhereby the main and complementary frames are joined, said pivots beingnear the forward ends of the lateral portions, a2, of the main sidebars. It will be noted that both frames are thus intermediately pivotedleaving the upper end of the complementary frame above the main frame inposition to support the seat c.

The seat-The seat, c, is preferably a board held between end bars, c',the parts being fastened together by nails and by cross rods whichlatter may serve as the pivots, ac and cg. The seat is pivoted to themain frame by means of the pivots, ac, which are back of and above thepivots, ab'. It will be noted that the rear ends of the bars, c',project behind the main frame.

The connecting members-The pivotal or connecting members comprise links,d, which are attached to the complementary frame and to the rear end ofthe seat by pivots, bd and cd.

The arms-The arms, e, are preferably made of wood and are attached tothe main frame the pivots, ae. The forward ends' of the arms aresupported by the parallel links, g, attached to the arms by pivots, eg,and to the forward ends of the seat by pivots, cg. rl`he main frame, theseat, the arms, and the links, g, constitute a parallel motion deviceenabling the seat and the arms to be folded against the back or theupper part of the main frame.

The foot boards-The links, g, are preferably extended below the seat andthe footboard, f, is secured between the lower or extended portions, g,thereof. Obviously the foot-board being thus connected with the backwill be raised when the seat is raised and will be moved back close tothe main frame, as indicated by the partial closed position of Fig. 2.1f a convertible go-cart is desired, the back, ce, is formed to dropdown as before explained and the foot-board made to be raised up toabout the level of the seat, this being done by forming the extensions,g1, separately upon the upper parts, g. ln such case it is necessary toprovide means for supporting the foot board in raised position.

rlhe strap, 7L, is usually placed upon the handles, as shown in Fig. l.

The go-cart is shown fully open in Fig. 1 and partially collapsed inFig. 2. The latter condition is brought about by lifting on the handle,which raises the rear wheels from the ground and permits them to swingforward against the front wheels. The friction between the parts is suchthat it may be necessary to hold the rear axle down with the foot, whilelifting on the handle, in which case the main frame is lifted withrelation thereto and acting through the links, d, operates to close theseat, the arms and the foot-board against itself.

As various modifications of the structure herein shown will readilysuggest themselves to one skilled in the art, I do not confine or limitmy invention to this specific form or details thereof.

Having thus described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A go-cart comprising a main wheeled frame having a handle at the top,in combination with a complementary wheeled frame pivoted upon the mainframe, a seat also pivoted on the main frame and limited in its downwardmovement by said complementary frame and links pivotally connecting theseat with the complementary frame to fold the seat against the mainframe, when the wheeled ends of said frames are folded together,substantially as described.

2. A go-cart comprising a main frame having wheels at its lower end andahandle at its upper end, in combination with a complementary framehaving wheels at its lower end and having its upper end pivoted upon andprojecting above the main frame, a seat pivf oted to the'main frame at apoint back of and above the juncture of the main and complementaryframe, the upper end of said complementary frame limiting the downwardmovement of the seat and combined operating and bracing links havingtheir ends pivoted, respectively, to the seat and the complementaryframe; as and for the purpose specified.

3. A folding go-cart comprising a main frame having wheels and a handle,in combination with a complementary frame having wheels pivoted uponsaid main frame, a seat pivoted in the main frame and adapted to restupon the top of the complementary frame and means connecting thecomplementary frame and seat for operating the latter, when the main andcomplementary frames are closed together, substantially as described.

4i. A folding go-cart comprising a main frame having wheels at its lowerend and handles at its upper end, in combination with a complementaryframe having wheels at its lower end and at its upper end pivoted uponthe main frame, a seat pivoted upon the main frame back of the junctureof the main and the complementary frames, said seat projecting back ofsaid main frame and links connecting the rear end of the seat with thecomplementary frame at points below the said juncture, substantially asdescribed.

5. A folding go-cart comprising a main frame having wheels at its lowerend, provided with a rearwardly bent portion and a handle risingtherefrom, in combination with a seat, a complementary frame pivotedupon the forward part of the main frame, relatively beneath the forwardpart of said seat, said seat being pivoted upon the rear part of themain frame to rest upon the front or upper end of the complementaryframe and links connecting the seat and complementary frame,substantially as described.

6. A folding go-cart comprising front and rear axles, a main framerising from the front axle and extending rearwardly over the rear axleand thence upwardly, a complementary frame rising from the rear axle andpivoted to the forward part of the main frame, a seat pivoted upon therear part of the main frame and extending rearwardly thereof and meansjoining the rear end of the seat to the complementary frame foroperating said seat and limiting the spread of said frames,substantially as described.

7. A folding go-cart or the like comprising front and rear axles, a mainframe rising from the front axle and extending backward above the rearaxle and rising thence to form a handle, a complementary frame risingfrom the rear axle and pivoted to the forward part of the main frame andforming a seat stop, a seat pivoted upon the main frame and adapted toreston said complementary frame and suitable means back of the mainframe and between the seat and the rear axle, adapted to raise the seatwhen the frames are foldedsubstantially as described.

S. A folding go-cart or the like comprising front and rear wheeledaxles, in combination with a main frame rising from said front axle andinclined rearwardly therefrom, a handle at the top of said main frame, acomplementary frame rising from said rear axle, inclined inwardly, andpivoted to the main frame, a seat pivoted upon the main frame back ofthe juncture of the main and complementary frames, said seat beingadapted to rest upon the upper end of said complementary frame, armspivoted upon the main frame, links connecting the arms and seat andlinks operative between the seat and the rear axle for folding the seatand arms when the frames are closed together, substantially asdescribed.

9. A folding go-cart or the like comprising a front axle and a rearaxle, in combination with a main frame rising from the front axle andhaving a handle at a point above and back of the rear axle, acomplementary frame rising from the rear axle and pivoted upon theforward part of the main frame, a seat intermediately pivoted upon themain frame and adapted to rest upon the upper end of the complementaryframe and links extending between the rear end of the seat and saidcomplementary frame, substantially as described.

10. A folding go-cart or the like comprising a front axle and a rearaxle, in combination with a main frame rising from the front axle andhaving ahandle at a point above and back of the rear axle, acomplementary frame rising from the rear axle pivoted upon the forwardpart of the main frame and extending above the same, a seatintermediatelypivoted upon the main frame, adapted to rest upon theupper end of the complementary frame, and extending back of the mainframe, links extending between the rear end of the seat and saidcomplementary frame, arms pivoted upon the main frame, links joining thearms and seat and a foot-board supported by said links below the seat,substantially as described.

1l. A folding go-cart or the like, comprising a main frame having wheelsat the lower end and a handle at the upper end, in combination with acomplementary frame having wheels at the lower end and at its upper endpivoted upon the main frame and a seat pivotally arranged in the mainframe and having its rear end pivotally linked to the complementaryframe for o eration therewith, substantially as descri ed:

l2. A folding go-cart or the like, comprising front and rear axles, incombination with f a main frame rising from said front axle and having ahandle at the top, a complementary frame rising from the rear axle andpivoted to the lower forward part of the main frame, a seat pivoted insaid main frame, a pivotal brace joining the seat and the complementaryframe, limiting the spread of said axles and connecting the seat andcomplementary frame for operation together, substantially as described.

13. A folding go-cart or the like, comprising front and rear axles, incombination with a main frame rising from said front axle and having ahandle at the top, a complementary frame rising from the rear axle andpivoted to the lower forward part of the main frame, a seat pivoted insaid main frame, a pivotal brace joining the seat and the complementaryframe, limiting the spread of said axles and connecting the seat andcomplementary frame for operation together and a suitable seat-backprovided in said main frame, substantially as described.

14. A folding go cart comprising front and rear axles, in combinationwith a folding frame rising therefrom, a seat intermediately pivoted inone member of the folding frame and adapted to rest upon a second memberthereof, links connecting the rear end'of the seat to said second memberof the frame and said seat being adapted to be opened and closed byforce exertedcvertically, upon the frame member whereto said seat isintermediately pivoted, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, l have hereunto set my hand, this 20th day ofJune, 1907, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARSHALL B. LLOYD.

Vitnesses H. C. PETERSON, CHAs. J. BEHRENDT, JR.

